In brief
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Russian and Belarusian skaters will be excluded from the world junior ice hockey championships in Alberta, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The decision overturns a CAS ruling that had allowed Russian participation. European national federations have also vowed to refuse to play Russia in future tournaments.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Antigua on Tuesday that Russia and Belarus would not be allowed to field skaters at next month’s world junior ice hockey championships in Alberta, Canada.
Carney’s announcement came at a Commonwealth Summit where he explained the move was a response to “the ongoing war in Ukraine” and the “illegal, unjustified, horrific” conflict that Russia supports. The world junior championships are set to run from late December to early January in Alberta.
European Federations Stand With Canada
Earlier on Tuesday, national ice hockey federations in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic announced they would refuse to play Russia at next year’s men’s Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany.
"While Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that is going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada," Carney said.
The ban comes after a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling last week had permitted Russian athletes to compete in International Ice Hockey Federation events. Canada, a major supporter of Ukraine, rejected that decision and instead implemented a blanket prohibition on Russian and Belarusian competitors for the Alberta tournament.
